Orifice cup for manually actuated sprayer

ABSTRACT

A manually actuated sprayer has an orifice cup with a reverse taper mounted within a cylindrical bore of the discharge passage for positively retaining the orifice cup in place without dislodgement during spray actuation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates generally to manually actuated sprayers,and more particularly to such sprayers having an orifice cup with adischarge orifice through which product is dispensed upon sprayeractuation.

[0002] The known orifice cup is mounted within the discharge passage ofmanually actuated hand-held sprayers, the cup being normally held inplace as its cylindrical side wall is press fitted within the wall of acircular bore for tight frictional engagement therewith. Spin mechanicsin the form of a spin chamber and tangentials leading thereto may beformed on the inner surface of the circular base wall of the orificecup. Upon manual actuation of the sprayer as, for example, a pumpsprayer actuated by depressing a plunger head or such as a triggeractuated sprayer actuated by the squeezing of the trigger, significantpressures are developed as the liquid product is forced through aconstricted discharge passage and through the spin mechanics beforeissuing through the discharge orifice in the form of a spray. Of course,with no spin mechanics provided or with an immobilized spin mechanicsfeature, the liquid issues from the discharge orifice in the form of astream.

[0003] The known orifice cup is molded as having a cylindrical skirtwall, and an annular retention bead projecting radially outwardly of theside of the cup near the front end thereof. The orifice cup is typicallyforce fitted within the cylindrical bore at the terminal end of thedischarge passage in tight frictional engagement between the cylindricalside wall of the cup and the cylindrical bore wall. The annularretention bead is designed to project into the confronting cylindricalportion of the pump sprayer body serving to assist in retaining theorifice cup in place within the bore as well as in acting as a sealbetween the orifice cup and the bore of the discharge passage.

[0004] Occasionally the orifice cup will dislodge from its bore uponpersistent high pressures acting on its underside surface during sprayeractuation. When this occurs the orifice cup may be shifted sufficientlydownstream such that its annular retention/sealing bead moves out of itsmating groove and even out of the terminal end of the bore. Thus, theseal between the orifice cup and the wall of the bore is disturbedthereby opening up a passage, however, minute, for liquid to leakthrough. This presents an unsightly and totally unacceptable condition.

[0005] Also where spin mechanics is formed on the inner surface of thebase of the orifice cup which cooperates with a confronting probe on thesprayer body which extends into the cup, any slight shifting movement ofthe orifice cup in a downstream direction in response to the highpressure exerted will cause both leakage of product and may defeat theability of the spin mechanics to function to swirl the product and breakit up into a fine mist spray.

[0006] The need therefore arises for improvement upon the retentivityand the sealability of the orifice cup within its bore.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide anorifice cup for a manually actuated sprayer which is positively retainedin place against dislodgement and is sealed in its bore against leakagein a manner requiring but a minor modification thereby incurring littlecosts for the same yet is highly efficient in improving upon theretentivity and sealability of the orifice cup in its bore.

[0008] In keeping with this objective, the orifice cup according to theinvention has its skirt molded to frusto-conical shape taperingoutwardly in an upstream direction of flow through the orifice. Thecircular base of the orifice cup has an outer diameter substantially thesame as the wall diameter of the discharge bore. The cup skirt walltapers radially outwardly relative to that outer diameter such that whenforce fitted into its bore the entirety of the skirt wall bears tightlyand sealingly against the bore wall for both positively retaining theorifice cup in place without the likelihood of dislodgement due topressure forces of the discharged fluid, and for sealing the orifice cupin its bore without the likelihood of any leakage from around the cup.

[0009] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a manually actuatedsprayer with its sprayer head incorporating the improved orifice cupaccording to the invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;and

[0012]FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3of FIG. 3 of the orifice cup according to the invention at an enlargedscale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersrefer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, amanually actuated sprayer is generally designated 10 in FIG. 1 which isin the form of a pump sprayer as represented by the type disclosed inU.S. Pat. No. 4,051,983, commonly owned herewith, and being specificallyincorporated herein by reference. Of course any other type of manuallyactuated hand-held sprayer is capable of incorporating the invention,such a trigger actuated pump sprayer, an aerosol sprayer, a squeezebottle sprayer, etc.

[0014] Sprayer 10 has a body member 11 which includes a closure 12 formounting the sprayer to a container (not shown) of product to besprayed. The body member further includes a plunger head 13 mounted on ahollow plunger stem 14, which stem has a pump piston (not shown)reciprocable within a pump cylinder (not shown) in a manner known inthis art upon the application of external finger pressure applied to top15 of the plunger head. An overcap 16 is of course first removed by theoperator before the plunger is reciprocated.

[0015] The piston stem defines a discharge passage 17 which communicateswith a transversely extending hollow cylindrical bore 18 provided in thehead. The plunger head has a cylindrical probe 19 extending transverselyand coaxially with bore 18.

[0016] Orifice cup 21 in accordance with the invention is similar inmany respects to that disclosed in the 4,051,983 patent in that it isthimble-shaped having a base wall 22 containing a discharge orifice 23through which the liquid product issues in the form of a fine mist sprayas known in this art. The base wall has an outer diameter which issubstantially the same as or slightly greater than the diameter of thewall of cylindrical bore 18 in its relaxed condition. An annularretention bead 24 is formed integrally with the orifice cup and extendsradially outwardly of the side wall of the base at an enlarged diameterd compared to the outer diameter of the base wall. Likewise an innerface 26 of the base wall is formed with the known spin mechanics 26which includes a spin chamber 27 coaxial with the discharge orifice anda plurality (usually 3) tangential channels 28 leading into the spinchamber for imparting the swirl to the liquid in the spin chambercausing the liquid to emerge from the orifice in the form of a fine mistspray.

[0017] Orifice cup 21 further has an integrally molded skirt 29, probe19 extending into the hollow of the skirt when the orifice cup isinstalled in cylindrical bore 18. The diameter of the probe is slightlyless than the inner diameter of the skirt defining an annular gap 31defining an extension of discharge passage 17. Alternatively, axial ribsor grooves can be provided on the confronting walls of probe 19 and/orbore 18. And the probe has a flat terminal end 32 which confrontschannels 28 so as to define tangential flow passageways therewith. Inthus manner, and as well known in this art, after the pump is primedwith liquid, each downward stroke applied to the plunger headpressurizes the liquid in the pump chamber (not shown) and forces liquidunder pressure through an open discharge valve (not shown) alongdischarge passage 17, gap 31, and tangentials 28 which subject theliquid to a vortex in spin chamber 27 causing the swirled liquid toissue through the discharge orifice 23 in the form of a fine mist spray.

[0018] Specifically in accordance with the invention, skirt 29 is moldedinto a frusto-conical shape as shown in detail in FIG. 3. Thus, theouter wall of skirt 29 tapers radially outwardly in an upstreamdirection of flow from diameter d at base 22, to a maximum outerdiameter D adjacent the free end of the skirt. This maximum diameter Dis substantially the same as diameter dd of retention bead 24, andassists in more easily removing the molded part from the mold. Also itis noted that the free end of the skirt may be chamfered as at 33 tomore easily facilitate insertion of the orifice cup within cylindricalbore 18

[0019] As an example of several of the dimensions involved, withoutlimiting the invention in any manner, diameter d can be 0.179 inches,diameters dd and D can be 0.185 inches, and the length of the reversetaper of the skirt can be 0.096 inches.

[0020] The orifice cup is inserted into cylindrical bore 18 of theplunger head in any normal manner known in this art. The plasticmaterial chosen for the plunger head is sufficiently forgiving such thatthe orifice cup with its reverse taper is forced fitted into thecylindrical bore 18 without inducing any cracking in either the orificecup or in the plunger head. The tight frictional fit effected betweenthe orifice cup and the wall of the cylindrical bore has been shown topositively retain the orifice cup in place without dislodgement evenafter repeated pump strokes subjecting the inner face 25 of the cup tofluid pressures even exceeding those which would normally occur inpractice. The reverse taper of the skirt functions to not only vastlyimprove upon the tight frictional engagement with the cylindrical borewall, but functions to avoid any leakage of product at the inner facebetween the cap skirt and the wall of bore 18.

[0021] Retention bead 24 is optional and may be provided as anadditional means of retention of the orifice cup in place.

[0022] Although the present invention has been described with referenceto a fingertip actuated pump sprayer, it is not so limited, but israther likewise fully adaptable to an aerosol sprayer, a triggeractuated pump sprayer, a squeeze bottle sprayer, etc., within the scopeof the invention. The reverse taper of the orifice cup skirt functionsequally well in all these type sprayers to retain the orifice cuppositively in place within its cylindrical bore without dislodgementeven under extreme and repeated high pressures of the dispensed fluids.

[0023] Obviously, many modifications and variations of the presentinvention are made possible in the light of the above teachings. It istherefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claimsthe invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A manually actuated sprayer comprising, a bodymember having a discharge passage terminating in a discharge orificethrough which liquid product issues on sprayer actuation, an orifice cupmounted within the discharge passage, the orifice cup comprising a basewall with an integral skirt extending in an upstream direction relativeto passage of the liquid product, said discharge passage include acylindrical bore of a predetermined wall diameter, the base wall of theorifice cup containing the discharge orifice and the base wall having anouter diameter substantially the same as said predetermined walldiameter, an outer wall of the skirt being frusto-conical and taperingoutwardly in the upstream direction such that the maximum diameter ofthe outer wall exceeds said predetermined diameter, the outer wall ofthe skirt sealingly engaging the wall of the cylindrical bore forpositively retaining the orifice cup within the bore and preventing anypassage of the liquid product between the outer wall of the skirt andthe wall of the cylindrical bore.
 2. The sprayer according to claim 1,wherein the orifice cup has an annular retention bead projectingradially outwardly of a side of the base wall into engagement with thewall of the cylindrical bore for further positively retaining theorifice cup within the bore.
 3. The sprayer according to claim 1,wherein the body member has a cylindrical probe extending into theorifice cup toward the base wall to define spin mechanics means togetherwith a confronting surface of the base wall.
 4. The sprayer according toclaim 2, wherein the retention bead has an outer diameter substantiallyequal to the maximum diameter of the outer wall.
 5. The sprayeraccording to claim 3, wherein a liquid passageway is defined between theprobe and the wall of the bore in communication with the mixing chambermeans.
 6. The sprayer according to claim 3, wherein the spin mechanicsmeans comprise tangential grooves leading into a spin chamber, an endsurface of the probe overlying the grooves to define tangentialpassages.